1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to data processing systems. More particularly, this invention relates to data processing systems operable in a first mode to perform processing operations specified by JAVA® bytecodes and operable in a second processing mode to perform processing operations specified by other instructions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to provide data processing systems which can operate in a first mode to perform data processing operations specified by JAVA® bytecodes and operable in a second mode to perform data processing operations specified by other instructions. An example of such a system is described in United States Pending Patent Application entitled Unhandled Operation Handling In Multiple Instruction Set Systems and filed on 2 May 2002 and International Published Publication No. WO-A-02/29563. The disclosure of these documents is incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,332,215 discloses a system which translates JAVA® bytecodes into native processor instructions and stores a copy of a JAVA® Local Variable within a register of the register bank of the native processor.
In the context of hardware acceleration of JAVA® bytecode execution measures which can improve execution speed are strongly desirable.